Air Purifier GO!

See larger image Hamilton Beach 04492 True-Air Tower Ionic Air Purifier (Kitchen) List Price: $169.99 USD New From: $93.37 In Stock Release date July 1, 2006.

• What models is Hamilton Beach still making?

• What is is that they have that the others don't?

• What about pricing and features?

One thing's for certain and that is that there are a heck of a lot of Hamilton Beach air purifiers for sale on the Internet. The deal is though that in keeping with a growing trend over the past three years, you can be that a lot of them are discontinued models being sold by clearance dealers.

Are Filters Available for Your Hamilton Beach Air Purifier?

The problem you see, is that I've seen blog posts and consumer reviews warning that replacement filters for some of them are getting harder to find online. Of course one option is to stock up on a good supply of filters when you buy one. Or you can simply make sure to buy a unit that isn't discontinued.

Models they are Still Producing

Now for most manufacturers, determining precisely what models have been discontinued is a fairly simple task. They'll usually have some sort of list on their main site that shows them all. However; in this case there is no such list. Rather they only show what they are still producing.

A Total of Seven Separate Models in their Lineup

They show a total of seven separate models on their site and not one of them is what you would call high end. They do have their TrueAir Ultra UV air purifier priced at $299.99 (let's call it $300) but that's as high as it gets, as far as pricing goes. Rather what they seem to specialize in, is mid to low priced units.

A Lot of Convenience Features for the Money

Now for your $300, this one particular air purifier does come loaded down with a heck of a lot of convenience features. Features that you normally would have to look for in a model costing up to $100 more. At the same time though, I can't find any information about any type of warranty and over the long haul convenience features can lead to problems.

A Three Stage Filter System

The Hamilton Beach air purifier TrueAir UV model comes with a three stage air processing system that consists of a carbon pre-filter, a main hepa filter and a final UV germicidal stage to eliminate airborne contaminants. It effectively removes 99.97% of particles down to .03 microns.

AirSmart Pollution Monitoring for Peace of Mind

It's convenience features consist of an AirSmart pollution monitoring system that continuously measure the air quality and displays its findings as “good, fair or poor”. It also has an automatic filter change sensor as well as an automatic setting that allows the system adjust the fan speed dependent on air quality.

WisperClean for Minimum Noise

Now add to that, this unit also has what it calls their WisperClean setting for absolute minimum noise. Now wouldnt you know that its merely the lowest fan setting, so try not to get too excited about this feature because to me it seems a a bit gimmicky. Now give me WisperClean on its high setting and I'll be impressed.

The Other Six Units in their Lineup

The rest of the models in their lineup are what you might call “you get what you pay for” Hamilton Beach air purifiers. That is that they are nice units, ranging in price from $80 to $150 or so but there is nothing in them that really sets them apart from the crowd like the TrueAir UV just previewed.

The Hamilton Beach Air Décor Model

That is with the exception of one particular model that caught my eye for one reason. That is that you very rarely see an air purifier company that has devoted as much attention to over all design detail, as Hamilton Beach has to this one model called the Air décor air purifier. After all, you do have to look at your air purifier after you bring it home and plug it in.

It Even Comes With Interior LED Glow Lights

To me it sort of looks like a miniature skyscraper in its design. It's also set up for easy maintenance because there's no filter to change. You simply toss out and replace the bag that goes in it when its time for a change. The best part too, is that it even comes with an inside LED glow lights. It's rated for 240 sq feet and costs around $150.

See larger image Honeywell 50250 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier (Kitchen) List Price: $210.99 USD New From: $164.89 In Stock Used from: $89.99 In Stock Release date September 15, 2005.

• What is a hepa filter?

• What is the very best hepa air purifier available?

• What about filter costs?

Hepa air purifiers have been around since the mid 1940s. They were in fact developed by the U.S. Government for the atomic bomb program during WW2. They needed a very exacting filter to protect the workers for airborne atomic particles. So then what does the word hepa even mean anyway?

No Official Standards for Hepa Air Purifiers

Would you believe that hepa is an anitialism for the words (high efficiency particulate air)? Also would you believe that there are no real official standards that govern how exacting a hepa filter has to be? There are however, accepted norms in the industry that dictate a filter of this type must stop 99.97% of particles .03 microns and above in size.

What About 99.97% Down to .01 Microns?

This is why you may have already noticed that most common hepa air purifiers, for the most part stick to these specifications. So then can you buy an air purifier that uses this type of filtration system that can do better than that? You bet you can but bear in mind that filters in general are balancing act.

The Better the Filter the Higher the Cost

That is the tighter their specifications and the smaller the particles they remove, the more expensive they tend to be. So how expensive can they get? Very expensive as a matter of fact, with some of the better filters costing several hundred dollars.

Filters that Cost More than the Machine??

A $250 30 pound air filter for an Austin Air Healthmate.

In fact if you have to make sure to check the actual cost of the filters and how often they need replacing on any air cleaning system you are considering. This is because it's not at all uncommon today for the cost of filter changes in some machines to exceed the actual cost of the machine, over a couple of years time.

To Change or to Vacuum - That is the Question

Another thing to consider, if your have severe allergies is what the actual changing of filters on any hepa air purifiers entails. You see some models will advertize that that their filters only require a vacuuming, rather than a complete change-out. For someone with severe allergies though this dusty job may be out of the question.

99.995% is Pretty Much Everything in the Air!

So then just what is the efficiency rating of the all time best hepa air purifiers that are available? Those would be medical grade commercial air purifiers. The type you would find filtering the air in an operating room. They go all the way down to an amazing 99.995%.

See larger image Honeywell F300A2025 F300 Electronic Air Cleaner 20x25 (Misc.) Used from: $400.00 In Stock

If you are interested in checking out the Honeywell Enviracaire Elite, I have some sad news for you. It's gone. Well sort of because it's name has really just been changed from the F300 Enviracaire Elite, to just the Honeywell F300.

It's No Longer the Honeywell Enviracaire Elite

You see Honeywell now has a complete line of centrally mounted air purifiers that connect up to the return air duct and there is just one F300 in that lineup. Relax though because the F300 is all that that the F300 Enviracaire used to be, only without the “Elite” at the end of its name.

It is an Ionic Air Purifier So there's No Filter

The F300 is an ionic air purifier, so it of course uses no hepa filter. Rather, the set of metal plates that capture the air particles is simply removed and washed by hand in a sink or it can be washed in a dishwasher. There is just one drawback though.

Rated to Capture a Rather Low 98% of Dust Particles

That is that it's only rated to capture some 98% of the ambient dust particles that pass through it. There is another unit in the lineup, the F500 that is rated higher. However; it uses a hepa filter system and it also costs about $200 more than the F300.

UV Air Sterilization On All Units

The F300 does have one distinct advantage though and that is that it comes with UV air sterilization capabilities. UV light in the unit is generated by a mercury vapor lamp that essentially never needs changing. Even so, all mercury vapor lamps lose half their power in five years.

Humidifier Pad Option on the F300

Two more items with making note of are that this unit also comes with a humidifier pad option. This is optional but the pre-filter screen that catches large particles before they can gunk up the plates is not. It's a standard feature that comes with all models. So you see that this is the Honeywell Enviracaire Elite, just with a simple name change.

Simply Plug it into a Standard 120 Volt Wall Socket

Lastly, it runs off a standard 120 volt wall plug, so this means that there is no need for hard wiring. You simply plug the unit in after it has been installed. Also if there is no room in your AC closet, a pre fabricated closet to contain the F300 is available.

See larger image Honeywell Quiet Clean Air Purifier ()

• Washable reusable filter means no filters to buy

• A high volume tower design

• Several models to choose from

The Honeywell QuietClean line of air purifiers come in a good handful off different sizes, with your usual choice of feature options. However; rather than focusing on each specific model, I'll focus on the line as a whole because there are a few things that make these air purifiers unique.

What Makes the Honeywell QuietClean So Different?

The first item worth making note of, is that they are all your classic tower design. It's a vary popular design style because they take up very little floor space and are in fact quite attractive to look at. Even so, almost without exception, all tower air purifiers are ionic air cleaners.

Small & inexpensive compact model

A Non Ionic Tower Air Purifier

That is that they don't use a standard filter. Ionic air cleaners use static electricity to attract air particles to a set of metal plates that then have to be wiped or washed off. So then whats so different about the Honeywell QuietClean filter system?

They Use a Standard Non Hepa Filter

Whats different is that these aren't ionic air purifiers. Instead they use a standard non hepa filter to screen the particles from the air that pass through them. You see ionic air cleaners, particularly the smaller models simply lack the ability to process large volumes of air.

Smaller Size With a Larger Air Volume

So you get the benefits of a smaller inexpensive tower unit, with the secondary benefit of a larger volume of air being processed than an ionic unit of the same size would handle. So then whats the catch? The catch is that these unique tower models don't use hepa filters.

They Capture 99% - Not 99.97%

Instead they use a standard washable filter to capture air particles. Even so they do capture 99% of the dust and pollen that pass through them, compered to 99.99% of the particles that a standard hepa filter will capture. Just the same, you have to be very careful when reading the numbers that are provided for these units.

Be Careful When Reading the Numbers

For instance, the main company website for the Honeywell QuietClean line boasts that these filters will capture all air particles down to 1.0 micron. Does that number sound familiar? Well be very careful because one decimal point can make huge difference.

What a Difference a Little Decimal Point Makes!

Don't confuse 1.0 microns with 0.1 microns, which is the particle size that the best air purifiers on the market capture. You see 0.1 micron is actually one-tenth the size of 1.0 microns. Also the CADR numbers for all these Honeywell towers are extremely low as well.

See larger image IQ Air HealthPro Compact Air Purifier/ Cleaner (Kitchen) List Price: Price Not Listed New From: Check Amazon For Pricing In Stock Used from: $660.00 In Stock

How does the Iqair HealthPro stack up against it nearest competitor?

• .01 microns verses .03 microns

• 1,000 sq feet verses 1,500 sq feet

• What about filter costs?

It's an established fact that the Iqair HealthPro air purifier does come with some hefty accolades. Category winner at the Allergy Buyers Club. Best air purifier featured in Wired Magazine. Consumer Digest Best Buy Award and Product of the Year at Reviewboard Magazine.

The Iqair HealthPro - Multiple Awards

Two Very Similar Machines to Compare

Even so, it's not the only show in town and what impressed those judges may not in fact be what you're looking for. I offer up the Austin Air HealthMate as a case in point. A very similar machine, yet with some very notable differences that need to be taken into account.

Is the Iqair HealthPro the Best Machine for You?

So then is either one the better machine? The truth is that one may be better for one person, while for another person the other machine may be the best choice. Once again it all comes down to what each party is looking for and expects from an air purifier.

Rectangular Plain Looking High Performance Workhorses

To start out with, on the the surface they're both very similar looking machines. They're both squat and hefty no nonsense designs that put function far ahead of form. In short, both of these machines were meant to be admired for their performance much more then for their racy looks.

The Iqair filter system

Multi-Stage Exacting Hepa Filter Systems

They both also scoop and blow a lot of air and they are also both in the same price range. They also both boast multi-stage high performance filter systems with one that goes beyond the three stage range that most of the best systems on the market offer.

The Iqair HealthPro Traps Particles Down to .01 Microns

It's these filter systems that also make both the Iqair HealthPro and the Austin Air HealthMate so attractive to serious allergy sufferers. However; here we run into one crucial difference. That is that the Iqair traps particles down to .01 microns, while the Austin Air only goes down to .03 microns. Even so, don't decide yet!

One More Difference in their Filter Systems

This is because you may want to know that the Austin Air comes with a complete four stage filter system, while the Iqair comes with a two stage system that can be upgraded to three. It's missing its activated charcoal gas trapping stage. Sound odd?

The Austin Air HealthMate filter with 15 pounds of activated charcoal

Both Come With Pricey Filter Systems

Well it won't sound so odd once you find out how much the complete filter system costs. The pre-filter costs around $129. The hepa filter will run you around $189 at replacement time and if you want to add the V5-Cell gas trapping filter that it came without, it's going to cost you around $90.

There really is a Lot to Consider

So with the complete filter system your up well over $300, while a comparable four stage system on the competing Austin air model costs about $100 dollars less. So it's a more expensive filter that traps smaller air particles. On the other hand the Austin Air filter contains 15 pounds of charcoal. It's a much better gas trapper.

Just One More Filter Aspect to Consider

Now it doesn't end there because the Austin Air Filter comes as one complete unit that requires changing only once every five years. On the other hand, the more exacting filter system on the Iqair HealthPro comes in three separate units that need changing every two to four years. Each component is different.

So Round and Round You Go

So round and round you go. It's all about what you want in a filter system and how much you're willing to pay for it. While the Iqair system has a better .01 micron hepa filter that costs more, the Austin air has a cheaper .03 micron hepa filter that also includes a far more advanced gas trapping element.

The Iqair HealthPro is Rated for 1,000 Square Feet

Now as the Iqair HealthPro does a better job of trapping finer ambient air particles it's also is rated for 1,000 square feet. That's 500 square feet less than the competing Austin air model that's rated for 1,500 square feet. So that's just one more difficult decision that you're going to have to make.

One black knob with three settings on the Austin Air

One Plain Black Knob With Three Fan Settings

Now when it comes to the topic of function and convenience features the Austin Air really has nothing to talk about. It has none. This is because its one sole operational feature is a basic black knob on its side, that has a total of 3 fan settings. That's it. You simply turn it on and adjust the speed.

Now that's a Nice Feature to Have

On the other hand, the Iqair HealthPro has one very sensible feature that you might like. This is the automatic fan adjusting air pollution sensor. What it does, is monitor the air pollution level and adjust the fan accordingly up or down as the levels change in any given environment.

Both Come With a Five Year Warranty

Both systems have a five year warranty and they both also are built from the highest quality parts and materials that are available and that includes their continuous use motors. So now you can see that which machine you choose really comes down to what your basic priorities are.

See larger image Ionic Pro 90IP1RCMB1 Compact Air Purifier with Bonus Car Ionizer (Kitchen) List Price: $129.95 USD Used from: $69.00 In Stock Release date June 30, 2006.

• Easy push button operation

• Extra collector plates $30

In any war as the saying goes, “the truth is the first casualty”. So you may have found out by now that an unbiased review of the Ionic Pro air purifier is just hard to come by. The reason is simple and that is that tower ionic air purifiers in it's $115 to $150 price range make up a hotly contested market.

What's the Real Truth About the Ionic Pro Air Purifier?

So the shots go back and forth, with each reviewer comparing it to one or another machine in its size and price class, each one with his or her set of questionable figures and statistics. Depending on whether or not they're selling this particular machine their numbers can go either way.

A Small Electrical Appliance that's Made in China??!!

I even read one recent review that criticized the Ionic Pro air purifier because it's made in China. Now imagine that?! A small household electrical appliance that's made in China? Holy cow! I thought everything was made in China now! Give me a break!

A Three Star Amazon Review Average

So then whats the real low down on this particular machine? To start off with, it gets an average Amazon user review rating of three stars. Now three stars is definitely nothing to crow about but you do have to remember one important fact. That is that this is a relatively inexpensive machine.

Bear in Mind that It Has No Fan in it.

My personal opinion is that a lot of the user criticisms can be traced back to the fact that this machine has no fan in it. It relies solely on the momentum of the ionic reaction taking place in it to move the actual air though the system. So does it move the air? Sort of.

How Come So Little Air is Coming Out of it??

Manufacturers for years have been hyping up the fact that these machines and similar machines like it are totally silent and they are. Hey! No fan means no fan noise. Then people bring them home, turn them on, stick their hand in front of them and notice only minimal air flow. Well what the hell did they think when they bought an air purifier with no fan in it!

What About the Ozone Question?

Then there is the confusion about ozone production in ionic air purifiers. Now there is new ozone free technology that's being employed but it's not in this Ionic Pro air purifier. So then what about ozone? Is is as bad as some people make it out to be?

Not Nearly as Bad as Some People Make it Out to Be

The fact is that ozone is simply three oxygen molecules that have combined together to form one atom. No it doesn't cause cancer or major medical problems. It can however cause irritation of the respiratory passages particularly in small animals.

Ozone Does Kill Odors Dead

On the other side of the coin, ozone is a stellar odor eater. It basically destroys the atoms in the air that are causing odors and this is why so many of these types of machines are touted as being such efficient odor eradicators. So for a smaller laundry room where you keep a cat box, the Ionic Pro air purifier would be an excellent choice.

See larger image Austin Air HealthMate - Sandstone (Kitchen) List Price: $449.99 USD New From: $479.95 In Stock

• What are the best options for allergy sufferers?

• Is your home sealed up properly?

• Find out about whole house allergy air purifiers!

If you suffer from a dust or pollen allergy, air purifiers are definitely an option that you should be taking a close look at. Even so, before you get started comparison shopping, there are a few things that you need to know. Things that can make all the difference in how you feel.

Dirty air duct - Before/After

Here's Something to Consider!

For instance, have you ever considered having your central air conditioning duct-work cleaned? If your home and its system is more than a few years old, the air lines in the attic may be caked with dust and fibers. It's also a relatively inexpensive job to have done.

One More Place to Block Out the Air Pollution

Another thing that you will want to look into is having your exterior doors sealed up. All it involves, is screwing or nailing a door brush on the bottom of each door to close up the open air passageway that may exist there. These two items are very crucial!

Allergy Air Purifiers and Their Numbers

You see as you compare allergy air purifiers, your going to be faced with several numbers. All of these numbers square footage ratings, etc. have to do with how well any unit processes air. The manufacturers basically speak in terms of how large and how many rooms any given unit can handle.

Any Sized Unit May Not Be Enough

What virtually all of them fail to mention though, is that if your home is unsealed or has a dirty AC duct-work, any unit of any size may not be enough. After all, it takes couple of hours at least for the air in a room to be thoroughly processed even in the best of conditions.

What About a Whole House Unit?

So now on to actual allergy air purifiers and what may work best for your particular condition. To begin with, have you considered a whole house unit? One that connects up directly to your AC duct-work and handles the air in your entire home? Honeywell has several to select from and their cheapest model only costs a little over $100.

The Honeywell F500 whole house model

The Honeywell F500 Whole House Model

Their most expensive model the F500 costs upwards of $800 to $900, depending on options but if you do the math, it's still most likely a cheaper option than buying more than one unit for handling more than one room in your home. Also one large allergy air purifier means that you don't have several dirty filter to mess with.

A Big Heavy Duty Workhorse

So then, what if your allergies are extreme and you don't want to go through the hassle of having a whole house unit installed? In this case one model worth looking into is the Austin Air Healthmate. It's not a cheap unit but it is rated to process up to a full 1300 square feet of floor space.

One of the Biggest and Best Portable Allergy Air Purifiers

That's not all because this particular allergy air purifier is a veritable air pollution gathering beast. It features a four stage filter system that weighs some thirty pounds. This monster filter actually contains some 15 pounds of activated charcoal and get this. It only has to be changed once every five years.

See larger image Oreck XL-Air Purifer Tower, Black (Health and Beauty) New From: $499.95 In Stock

• Free 30 day trial period

• They can be laid on their side

• 3 & 5 year guarantees
  

If you've been watching TV over the past ten years then you no doubt have heard of the Oreck air purifier. In fact this one firm alone is responsible for introducing more people to ionic air cleaning technology in their adds than any other company out there.

Have You Seen an Oreck Air Purifier on TV?

Even so, there two traits that I've found that all air purifier companies have in common that have been heavily advertized on TV. That is that these heavy TV advertisers tend to have a limited line of rather expensive machines and Oreck is no exception.

If you're looking for convenience features, none of their three models of ionic air cleaners have any, so to speak. In fact, aside from what they call “Truman Cell” bacteria killing technology these are basic three speed on and off machines. No timers, remote, etc.

What's Truman Cell Technology?

Simply put, Truman Cell Technology is the same ionic technology that all ionic air cleaners use to trap ambient air particles. The airborne bacteria is charged and then sticks to the collection plates and dies. It's really nothing more than that.

You see, the little known truth of the matter, is that recent studies have demonstrated that bacteria gathered in all ionic air cleaners tends to die shortly after being deposited on collection plates. Hence; in general terms, all ionic machines operate with Truman Cell Technology.

However; before you click your mouse and move on to review another brand, there are two items worth mentioning that you just don't see in Oreck's competitors. It's very odd too because neither is difficult to offer or any type of earth shaking technology.

Free Thirty Day Trial Period

The first item is a no questions asked, thirty day trail period on all three Oreck Air purifiers. The nice thing about it too, is that they'll even pay the shipping fee if you send yours back. Now in my mind this makes a lot of sense to a person who's curious about ionic technology. It gives them an out.

The second item worth mentioning, is that two of their three models, the ProShield and the ProShield Plus are designed to stand on their own or lay on their side. Once again, this isn't earth shaking technology but it sure is nice for someone who wants to place their machine on a shelf.

The Oreck Pro Shield Air Purifier

The base model Oreck Air purifier is called the ProSheild and it lists on their site for 349.95. (let's call it $350). It features three air speed settings, including a fourth that's referred to as a silence setting. This no doubt allows you to run the machine with no fan.

Now it is a vary nicely designed unit and I can see how someone might want to lay it on its side on a shelf. It has a sleek black look to it. Even so, its specs list it as being able to recirculate the air in a 12' X18' room only twice every hour, so the room size rating is a bit exaggerated. It does come with a three years guarantee.

The Oreck ProShield Plus Air Purifier

The next Oreck air purifier up from there, is the ProShield Plus. It lists on their company site for $399.95 (let's call it $400) and it really is basically an enhanced version of the ProSheild. It's the exact same machine with one added feature, so it too can be laid on its side too.

That one added feature is what Oreck calls their Permanent Helios Shield. (I Like that name). It's basically a UV lighting system located in the machine, that sterilizes the air that passes through it. By the way UV lighting is quite common now, on both ionic and hepa filter air purifiers.

Now I do have one complaint here though and that is they advertise what is basically a UV lighting system as never having to be replaced, which is true “in effect”. However; what they don't tell you is that the mercury vapor lamp that powers it will lose half its strength in five years. It wont burn out though. Same 3 year warranty.

The Tower Model Oreck Air Purifier

Next up is their top model. The Oreck air purifier they call the Oreck Tower. It lists on their company site for $599.95 (let's just call it $600) which is a heck of a lot of money for an air purifier. This one does have a couple of added features and it also is quite nice looking but I have just one problem here.

That problem is that on their site, they show it as being able to clean 900 square feet per hour. Now isn't that the same as 1800 feet every two hours? Now I'm not very good at math but that seems awful close to the what the above two models listed clean. A 12' X 18' room every two hours. Am I being picky here?

There's also no “Permanent Helios Shield” in this model but you do get a “turbo” option on the fan switch. (I just love the names they use). You also get two more years on the five year warranty, which is nice but in the end I really do think that for $600, there's better deals out there.

Just whats so different about the Austin Air Healthmate?

• How about a unique four stage filter?

• How about a free 30 day trial period?

• How about a whopping 15 pound charcoal filter?

The Austin Air Healthmate series, if you can call two duplicate machines a series, really does appear to be a breath of fresh air. (pardon the pun) You see in all the years that I've been researching and reviewing consumer products, I have noticed an all too familiar pattern.

Finally a Truly Different Air Purifier

That is that each new brand and their lineup of models all too often seems to be just a reshuffling of the deck. That all the competing brands really resembled one another in their functions and features far more than they differ. Different prices and different shapes but basically the same offerings in different packages.

The Total Simplicity of the Austin Air Healthmate

So it sure is nice to see an air purifier like the Austin air line that truly has something new and interesting worth reading about. At the same time, these head turning machines offer not one convenience feature option. In fact all you get is a big black knob to turn it on and adjust the flow rate with.

You Do Get to Choose Your Color Though

Sound enticing? Hardly not! Just keep on reading though because it gets real interesting from here. Also before I get into the technical end of things, I might as well give you the desert first. That is that this company is the only one that I know of that lets you choose what color you machine is.

Don't Call Your Interior Decorator Just Yet

You get to pick from a selection of sandstone, black, white, silver, and midnight blue. Now before you get all excited and call your interior decorator I might as well tell you now that these machine have all the designer cache as your average kitchen garbage container. They're basically rectangular boxes on a set of wheels. With a knob on it.

Now Who Else Offers Color Choices??

So the think tank that came up with the concept of the Austin Air Healthmate has left their competition in the dust as far as color choices are concerned but there has to be more to it than that. After all they have to offer something, just in case someone decides to turn theirs on. Something more than a knob on the side.

Count Em! - A Four Stage Filter System

They do and would you believe that these machines actually operate with a four stage filter system. That's right! While all their competitors were busy gloating over their three stage filter systems, the folks at Austin Air snuck another fourth stage onto theirs. Sheer genius! What brazen individual though of going beyond three stages??

An Arm Bending 15 Pounds of Activated Charcoal

It doesn't end there though because their third stage in this four stage system, is a carbon filter that contains a full 15 pounds of activated charcoal. You read that correctly! That's a whopping 15 pounds of gas trapping activated charcoal in one filter system! Here all the while the other companies had you so impressed with their whimpy disposable carbon infused blankets.

A Full 60 Feet of Medical Grade Hepa Filter - Pleated of Course

Now if that sounds impressive then read on because the fourth stage of this four part filter system, is a medical grade hepa filter (traps germs and viruses) that's a full 60 feet long. The way that they fit 60 feet of hepa filter into the machine is by pleating it. It's arranged in a folded framework.

So Just What Does a Large Particle Filter Catch??

Now of course there are to more stages to this filter system on steroids and the first one is what they call a “large particle filter”. It filters out large particles, (as its name suggests). The second filter in the four stage system is a medium particle filter. It filters out medium particles, (as its name suggests).

An Air Purifier With a 1500 Square Foot Rating?!?

It's all just too sensible! So now you're probably wondering how many square feet this unit is rated for and the fact it has a massive 1500 sq foot rating. The Austin Air Healthmate is also rated for 250 square feet of air per minute when its turned up to its highest setting.

How Much Pollution is in Your Square Feet Anyway?

If you stop to think about it square footage ratings really are a bunch of hot air. (pardon the pun). This is because they completely fail to take into account how much actual air pollution and dust is being generated in a home or business. That's what really matters!

So how many sq feet is your machine rated for??

Just Like Ordering Drinks at Burger King

Now that 250 square feet of air rating only counts for their large Austin Air Healthmate. You see I completely failed to mention that they're the only company that offers their air purifiers in “large and small models” No confusing model code numbers. Just large and small. It's just all too simple! I love it!!

A 30 Day Money Back Trial Period

So now you're wondering if this all sounds “too crazy”. After all, like the old adage goes, “if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is”. Well not to worry because the makers of the Austin Air Healthmate offer a complete 30 day money back satisfaction guarantee. If you don't like it just send it back!

Not Really the Cheapest Machines Out There

The one catch is that these machines really are not your most affordable option. The larger model sells for around $500 and the Austin Air Healthmate Junior retails in the area of $350. There is just one thing to consider though and that is that the filters on these machines are guaranteed to last 5 years, which saves you heck of a lot of money of filters.

Breaking the Air Filter Habit - Just Say No!

By the way, while were on the topic of filters, I might as well inform you that filter purchases are one of the biggest scams running today. Go ahead and do the math on what replacement filters will cost you on a cheaper competing model and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it adds up to some $300 over a five year period.

Fan and Motor:

Centrifugal fan 3 Speed control switch
Motor type: permanent split capacitor, rated for continuous high RPM , long life duty
Power rating: 1.3 amps, 120 volts
115 Watt power consumption at Max setting
CSA, UL and CE approved
Five year warranty (parts & labor)
Fan: 400cfm on max setting: rated for up to 1500 ft.
Fan Rating: 400cfm on high setting: cleans a room area of up to
1500 sq ft

Filter Assembly:
Weight: 23 lbs
14.5" height 13.5" diameter
60 sq. ft. true HEPA medical filter
15 lbs mix of solid activated charcoal & zeolite

See larger image Honeywell 50250 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier (Kitchen) List Price: $210.99 USD New From: $164.89 In Stock Used from: $89.99 In Stock Release date September 15, 2005.

• Consistent 5 star Amazon reviews

• Models in a wide range of prices & sizes

• Impressive sq foot and CADR numbers
  

It's a fact that more doctors recommend the Enviracaire air purifier to their patients than any other brand. Now no doubt you've heard that line of BS before but this time it's true. It was determined in an AQS survey of physicians that was conducted back in November 2005. AQS stands for Air Quality Systems. It's an air quality data repository,maintained and operated by the U.S. Environmental Agency. The EPA

Just What is it that's So Impressive About the Line?

So then let's take a look at this machine that comes in a few separate models to see if we can find just what it is that turned so many doctors heads. Medical professionals who's job it is to seek out only the best that is out there to treat their patients with. Men and women with analytical minds that are far less likely to be swayed by glitz and hype than your average consumer.

Five Stars for Honeywell Enviracaire Air Cleaners

By the way. As it turns out, with a consistent five star customer review rating on Amazon, it turns out that its not just trained medical professionals that are fingering this one particular model line as being highly desirable. Now I have reviewed some pretty impressive air cleaning systems. Systems that come real close with a 4.5 rating but this is the only one that I know of that rings the top bell every time with five stars.

Models 50150 & 50250-N are Both Straight Forward Workhorses

Now if you're looking for a unit that comes heavily decorated with lit up convenience features, such as air testing & remote operation, LED lighting, etc, etc, you won't find it here. Yes both the 50150 & 50250-N model have an “Intelicheck” filter sensor to let you know when its time to change the filter but that's pretty much it. You see these two machines are straight forward no nonsense air processing workhorses.

Sensible and Highly Functional Wrap Around barrel Design

To start off with, the sensible round barrel design of the 50150 & 50250-N isn't just for looks, although they are quite attractive in their own right. Rather, the round barrel shape is to accommodate their massive wrap around filter systems that not only covers a huge chunk of territory but they also seal up quite nicely as well. The filters quite literally wrap around the entire outside perimeter of the machines.

Minimal Features - Just Impressively High Numbers

So while other competing similarly priced units might attempt to dazzle you with features and sleek designer looks, these two units impress with their raw real numbers. Figures and numbers that you just won't find in any other units in these price ranges. It's also worth mentioning that neither of the two Honeywell Enviracaire models have air sterilization. However they more then make up for it in virus grabbing air scouring capacity.

Model 50150 Specs and Numbers

The Honeywell Enviracaire model 50150 sells in the area of $160 online. It features a dual filtration system that's made up of a thin non reusable carbon blanket filter and a reusable hepa filter that requires cleaning twice per year. This filter system grabs 99.97% of all suspended ambient air particles down to .03 microns in size. It uses a no nonsense problem free three speed knob for operation and is rated for 235 sq feet, with a CADR of 150 for dust, pollen and tobacco.

Model 50250-N Specs and Numbers

This Honeywell Enviracaire air purifier is basically a scaled up, more powerful version of the above profiled model 50150. The truly amazing thing about this particular unit is that it's rated for a massive 390 sq feet, yet it regularly sells for only $199 online. This is a great choice if you have more then one room to cover or an extra large living space in your home, perhaps with vaulted ceilings. It's CADR numbers of are an impressive 250 for dust, pollen and tobacco smoke.

The F500 Whole House Model - The Beast

There is also a Honeywell Enviracaire air purifier for the whole house. It's their impressive Enviracare Elite that's designed to be permanently installed and connected directly into your homes heating and AC ducting system. This a no nonsense steel cased air scrubbing beast that's relatively simple to install and requires no hard wiring. Just plug it into any 120V socket. It uses a three stage filter system that's made up of a pre-filter, an activated carbon and an advanced hepa filter and it sells for between $700 & $800, depending on features.

Quiet and Portable Enviracaire Quietcare 17000

Heading the opposite direction, you run into the baby of the Enviracaire family. The Enviraciare Queietcare model 17000. It's name is a real giveaway that this units main selling point is its low noise output. Along with its low price of around $130 online, its sq. footage rating and CADR numbers fall way back too. It's rated for 200 sq feet and its CADR numbers are 130 for dust, smoke and pollen so this really is a portable one room unit. Perhaps for a bedroom where its quite operation could be appreciated. Same wrap around dual filter design.